Blythe Sol never would have thought she would become the face of the Restoration Resistance. Yet, that is just what has happened now that the battle lines have been drawn. With the movement sweeping the United States, the stakes are higher than ever as President Drummond continues to prove his dedication to the destruction of the Bionics and all who stand with them.

The flame has been ignited…

As anger and frustration among the American people reaches the boiling point, citizens begin to fight back, many showing their support for the Bionics… despite the personal costs to themselves. As protests turn violent, and people who once cowered in silence begin to fight back, the government continues its practices that fly in the face of the very principles the nation was founded upon.

The time has come to revolt …

Despite the many losses it has sustained, the Resistance stands strong, leading America into revolution and onward toward change. With an unlikely, ragtag family of misfits at its forefront, the Resistance stands, while a girl who lost everything continues to fight for a future that was once impossible, but may now be within her reach.

Links

Amazon

Goodreads

Audible

Review

I was given a copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

I don't know if it's because I already knew most of the characters, but I found myself more drawn into this book than the last one. There are so many questions answered from the first book, which I appreciated. But there's also more brought up that I assume will be addressed in the next book.

The was a part where I was listening while in bed, with my cats and dog. A thing happens. This particular thing involves an incredible amount of feels. So I'm laying down, trying to hold it together. ...I don't need my animals judging me. Anyway, I failed. I'm laying there, trying to explain to them why it's okay that I'm sad, and then I start crying. And I'm just holding my cat, Joker, tightly and begging him to fix it.

The worst part about this book is when I finished it and then realized there isn't a third one out yet. And I've been refreshing amazon multiple times hoping to summon it.

About the Book

Author: Trevor Noah

Title: Born A Crime

Pages: 304

Genre: Memoirs

Date Published: November 15, 2016

Publisher: Spiegel & Grau

Format: Audio

Source: Audible

Synopsis:​
​Trevor Noah’s unlikely path from apartheid South Africa to the desk of The Daily Show began with a criminal act: his birth. Trevor was born to a white Swiss father and a black Xhosa mother at a time when such a union was punishable by five years in prison. Living proof of his parents’ indiscretion, Trevor was kept mostly indoors for the earliest years of his life, bound by the extreme and often absurd measures his mother took to hide him from a government that could, at any moment, steal him away. Finally liberated by the end of South Africa’s tyrannical white rule, Trevor and his mother set forth on a grand adventure, living openly and freely and embracing the opportunities won by a centuries-long struggle.

Born a Crime is the story of a mischievous young boy who grows into a restless young man as he struggles to find himself in a world where he was never supposed to exist. It is also the story of that young man’s relationship with his fearless, rebellious, and fervently religious mother—his teammate, a woman determined to save her son from the cycle of poverty, violence, and abuse that would ultimately threaten her own life.

The stories collected here are by turns hilarious, dramatic, and deeply affecting. Whether subsisting on caterpillars for dinner during hard times, being thrown from a moving car during an attempted kidnapping, or just trying to survive the life-and-death pitfalls of dating in high school, Trevor illuminates his curious world with an incisive wit and unflinching honesty. His stories weave together to form a moving and searingly funny portrait of a boy making his way through a damaged world in a dangerous time, armed only with a keen sense of humor and a mother’s unconventional, unconditional love.

Links

Amazon

Goodreads

Audible

People love to say, “Give a man a fish, and he’ll eat for a day. Teach a man to fish, and he’ll eat for a lifetime.” What they don’t say is, “And it would be nice if you gave him a fishing rod.” That’s the part of the analogy that’s missing.

Review

I got this book through a promotion on Goodreads.

I've been a fan of his takeover of the Daily Show since I discovered you can watch clips of Comedy Central on Spotify (I don't have cable), but I've honestly never put forth any effort to learn about the man.

This is much more than the life of Trevor Noah. It is the environment that shaped him as a person. I have seen a few movies and read a couple books that dealt with the apartheid in South Africa, but they really barely skimmed the surface of what was going on over there. This gives a side of the story I hadn't heard before. I already thought it was awful, but this made me realize it a whole other level of horrible.

If you take anything from this book, you need to note that Trevor Noah's mom is a bad-ass. Holy crap. I am just saying. She is an amazing person and even though I don't agree with a lot of her methods, I think it is fantastic that her son told this story.

Highly recommend this book. It was told in a hilarious way, fitting for the comedian, but it was also incredible insightful and educational.

More than 35 years after its release, Kindred continues to draw in new readers with its deep exploration of the violence and loss of humanity caused by slavery in the United States, and its complex and lasting impact on the present day. Adapted by celebrated academics and comics artists Damian Duffy and John Jennings, this graphic novel powerfully renders Butler’s mysterious and moving story, which spans racial and gender divides in the antebellum South through the 20th century.

Butler’s most celebrated, critically acclaimed work tells the story of Dana, a young black woman who is suddenly and inexplicably transported from her home in 1970s California to the pre–Civil War South. As she time-travels between worlds, one in which she is a free woman and one where she is part of her own complicated familial history on a southern plantation, she becomes frighteningly entangled in the lives of Rufus, a conflicted white slaveholder and one of Dana’s own ancestors, and the many people who are enslaved by him.

Held up as an essential work in feminist, science-fiction, and fantasy genres, and a cornerstone of the Afrofuturism movement, there are over 500,000 copies of Kindred in print. The intersectionality of race, history, and the treatment of women addressed within the original work remain critical topics in contemporary dialogue, both in the classroom and in the public sphere.

Frightening, compelling, and richly imagined, Kindred offers an unflinching look at our complicated social history, transformed by the graphic novel format into a visually stunning work for a new generation of readers.

Links

Amazon

Goodreads

Review

I got this from my library when I saw it was available. I wasn't aware this was a new release at the time.

Too often a graphic novel version of a book skips parts, breaking the flow of the story and cutting out necessary scenes. This wasn't an exception. I had actually been warned prior to reading this that I would be disappointed, but I didn't take that person seriously. I came into it with an open mind.

As with the book, I had a lot of questions I after finishing this. Thankfully I did read the book though, because I would have been much more frustrated than I already was.

I found John Jennings artwork to be okay. Mostly it was fine, but there were parts every now and again where the frame bothered me.

It's a cool way to get back into the book if you haven't read it in a while, but I don't recommend doing what I did and reading it right after the novel.

About the Book

Author: Mildred D. Taylor

Title: Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry

Pages: 276

Genre: Historical Fiction

Date Published: April 12, 2004 (originally 1976)

Publisher: Puffin Books

Format: Audio

Source: Overdrive

Synopsis:
​Why is the land so important to Cassie's family? It takes the events of one turbulent year—the year of the night riders and the burnings, the year a white girl humiliates Cassie in public simply because she's black—to show Cassie that having a place of their own is the Logan family's lifeblood. It is the land that gives the Logans their courage and pride—no matter how others may degrade them, the Logans possess something no one can take away.

Links

Amazon

Goodreads

Audible

There are things you can't back down on, things you gotta take a stand on. But it's up to you to decide what them things are. You have to demand respect in this world, ain't nobody just gonna hand it to you. How you carry yourself, what you stand for--that's how you gain respect. But, little one, ain't nobody's respect worth more than your own.

Review

If you haven't read this series yet, I highly recommend you read this one before The Land, even though goodreads has this one listed at the 4th book. It was the first one in the series written. I read it after the Land, and the author's writing had changed and improved so much between the two books that I actually found myself a little disappointed with this one. That's not saying this book wasn't good. It really was. But it lacked in comparison to The Land.

I can't believe I wasn't required to read this when I was a kid and neither was my husband. I'm actually disappointed with myself for not having read it. This story is beautifully told in a way that young children can have more of an understanding as to how this country got away with so much blatant racism.

Unlike The Land, this book was much slower and it felt like less happened. But there is still so many important points brought up by this book, and so I wouldn't say it dragged out.

This is a book that I look forward to having my son read when he's older so we can discuss it.

About the Book

​Author: Terry McMillan

Title: I Almost Forgot About You

Pages: 370

Genre: Woman's Fiction

Date Published: June 7, 2016

Publisher: Broadway Books

Format: Audio

Source: Overdrive

Synopsis:The #1 New York Times bestselling author of How Stella Got Her Groove Back and Waiting To Exhale is back with the inspiring story of a woman who shakes things up in her life to find greater meaning

In I Almost Forgot About You, Dr. Georgia Young's wonderful life--great friends, family, and successful career--aren't enough to keep her from feeling stuck and restless. When she decides to make some major changes in her life, including quitting her job as an optometrist and moving house, she finds herself on a wild journey that may or may not include a second chance at love. Georgia’s bravery reminds us that it’s never too late to become the person you want to be, and that taking chances, with your life and your heart, are always worthwhile.

Big-hearted, genuine, and universal, I Almost Forgot About You shows what can happen when you face your fears, take a chance, and open yourself up to life, love, and the possibility of a new direction. It’s everything you’ve always loved about Terry McMillan.

Links

Amazon

Goodreads

Audible

For five years I didn't think it was possible to be this happy.But then he forgot all those promises he made. He forgot why he loved me. He simply stopped loving me.

And this is how he did it:He stopped talking to me unless I spoke to him.He stopped holding my hand.He stopped kissing me good night.He stopped kissing me good morning.He stopped kissing me.He stopped smiling at me.He stopped laughing.He stopped bathing and showering with me.He stopped wanting me.He started swearing at me.He started lying to me.He started cheating on me.He hurt me.And then he told me he was in love with another woman and wanted a divorce.Oh, I forgot. He said he was sorry.

I wanted to blow his fucking brains out.

Review

I found this at my library when they first got it, and I put a hold on it. This is actually my first Terry McMillan book, but it won't be my last.

These characters felt so real, and this book kinda felt like it was an older woman giving a warning to younger woman. But it was done so in an entertaining way, so I didn't feel like I was being preached at. But it did make me take a long look at myself and contemplate some things.

There are some bits where the book seems to drone on a bit, but they thankfully don't last long. There are a lot of amusing and funny bits to mix in with the drama. This is mostly a light read though.

About the Book

Author: Solomon Northup

Title: Twelve Years a Slave

Pages: 138

Genre: Memoir

Date Published:January 15, 2014 (original version in 1964)

Publisher: Eakin Films & Publishing

Format: Audio

Source: Overdrive

Synopsis:​
Perhaps the best written of all the slave narratives, Twelve Years a Slave is a harrowing memoir about one of the darkest periods in American history. It recounts how Solomon Northup, born a free man in New York, was lured to Washington, D.C., in 1841 with the promise of fast money, then drugged and beaten and sold into slavery. He spent the next twelve years of his life in captivity on a Louisiana cotton plantation.​

Links

Amazon

Goodreads

Audible

Suffice it to say, during the whole long day I came not to the conclusion, even once, that the southern slave, fed, clothed, whipped and protected by his master, is happier than the free colored citizen of the North. To that conclusion I have never since arrived.

Review

First of all, this story read more like a fiction story. It was almost hard to view this as something that happened in real life. I had to keep reminding myself that it is real. This actually happened.

Once I started it, I couldn't put it down. I needed him to either escape or be given his freedom again. It was pretty intense of a read. There were many times where I just couldn't fathom how people could be so cruel. I mean, slavery was bad enough - but to grab a free person and trick him into be sold into slavery... it was awful. But it helped give me a better perspective of how the modern day slave trade works. Because of course mankind still has awful people who trick fellow humans into slavery.

Devorah is a consummate good girl who has never challenged the ways of her strict Hasidic upbringing.

Jaxon is a fun-loving, book-smart nerd who has never been comfortable around girls (unless you count his four younger sisters).

They've spent their entire lives in Brooklyn, on opposite sides of the same street. Their paths never crossed . . . until one day, they did.

When a hurricane strikes the Northeast, the pair becomes stranded in an elevator together, where fate leaves them no choice but to make an otherwise risky connection.

Though their relation is strictly forbidden, Devorah and Jax arrange secret meetings and risk everything to be together. But how far can they go? Just how much are they willing to give up?

Link

Amazon

Goodreads

Audible

Review

I found this at the library. It looked interesting, so I put a hold on it.

My feelings for this book are hard to put into words. There's so much about it that I enjoyed.

First of all, I am a fan of the star-crossed lover type of romance. I don't even care. It is fabulous.

If you know nothing of the Jewish laws then you'll be in for a shock, because one of the main characters lives in a strict Jewish community. It is because of this that a lot of the issues between the couple arise. They're teenagers, which means hormones are doing stupid things without thinking through the consequences of their actions. It's bad enough that Devorah is dating someone, but the person is not a part of her community - which is a super big no-no.

There's a lot of tension in the book as Devorah struggles with her views of life, religion, and her family. And Jax, being an outsider, does not understand what she's going through.

I think this book helps give a great perspective of what it's like to be in a relationship with someone of a different faith. Although the differing races was a factor in some of the issues, it wasn't nearly the same level as the religious differences. I also found the conflicts that Devorah faced were both all the drama and well done.

The end of this book was perfect. I absolutely loved it and totally applauded. I have no shame.

About the Book

​Author: Jodi Picoult

Title: Small Great Things

Pages: 481

Genre: Contemporary

Date Published: October 11, 2016

Publisher: Ballantine Books

Format: Audio

Source: Overdrive

Synopsis:​
​Ruth Jefferson is a labor and delivery nurse at a Connecticut hospital with more than twenty years' experience. During her shift, Ruth begins a routine checkup on a newborn, only to be told a few minutes later that she's been reassigned to another patient. The parents are white supremacists and don't want Ruth, who is African American, to touch their child. The hospital complies with their request, but the next day, the baby goes into cardiac distress while Ruth is alone in the nursery. Does she obey orders or does she intervene?

Ruth hesitates before performing CPR and, as a result, is charged with a serious crime. Kennedy McQuarrie, a white public defender, takes her case but gives unexpected advice: Kennedy insists that mentioning race in the courtroom is not a winning strategy. Conflicted by Kennedy's counsel, Ruth tries to keep life as normal as possible for her family—especially her teenage son—as the case becomes a media sensation. As the trial moves forward, Ruth and Kennedy must gain each other's trust, and come to see that what they've been taught their whole lives about others—and themselves—might be wrong.

With incredible empathy, intelligence, and candor, Jodi Picoult tackles race, privilege, prejudice, justice, and compassion—and doesn't offer easy answers. Small Great Things is a remarkable achievement from a writer at the top of her game.

Links

Amazon

Goodreads

Audible

Review

This was one of those books I picked up from the library without much thought. I recognized the author, knew I enjoyed the other few books of hers that I'd read, so I figured I might as well read this one. And then, once it had gotten in a little ways, I remembered the type of book Jodi Picoult writes. To sum it up in three words: ALL THE DRAMA.

There are some pretty heavy topics in this book. Racism, in specific. One important thing it brings up is how it shows how there is little difference between a white supremacist who vocally calls for the segregation of non-whites and a "normal person" who doesn't believe they're racist and yet they still do things like scoot down a few inches if a black person sits next to them on the bus.

Now, this author is great at writing cliches and what have you. It's something I expect from her. If that's something that bothers you, I don't recommend you read any of her books. Her books are gripping, contain topics that people don't much want to think about but are done in a fairly light way - think Hallmark movie. Also, I'm currently trying to convince my bookclub to read this.

If you're listening to the audiobook, I highly recommend you listen to the author's afterward. (it's probably in the print/ebook version as well). It explains why she picked this topic to write about and the research that went into it. This is absolutely the best book of hers I've read, by far.

Before John Glenn orbited the Earth or Neil Armstrong walked on the moon, a group of dedicated female mathematicians known as "human computers" used pencils, slide rules, and adding machines to calculate the numbers that would launch rockets and astronauts into space.

Among these problem solvers were a group of exceptionally talented African

Links

Amazon

Goodreads

Audible

American women, some of the brightest minds of their generation. Originally relegated to teaching math in the South's segregated public schools, they were called into service during the labor shortages of World War II, when America's aeronautics industry was in dire need of anyone who had the right stuff. ​Suddenly these overlooked math whizzes had shots at jobs worthy of their skills, and they answered Uncle Sam's call, moving to Hampton, Virginia, and the fascinating, high-energy world of the Langley Memorial Aeronautical Laboratory.

​Even as Virginia's Jim Crow laws required them to be segregated from their white counterparts, the women of Langley's all-black West Computing group helped America achieve one of the things it desired most: a decisive victory over the Soviet Union in the Cold War and complete domination of the heavens.

Starting in World War II and moving through to the Cold War, the civil rights movement, and the space race, Hidden Figures follows the interwoven accounts of Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, Katherine Johnson, and Christine Darden, four African American women who participated in some of NASA's greatest successes. It chronicles their careers over nearly three decades as they faced challenges, forged alliances, and used their intellects to change their own lives - and their country's future.

Review

I was pleasantly surprised with this book. It wasn't at all how I expected it to be. Although it does focus on the lives of each of the women involved, it is more of an account of their accomplishments even with the struggles against them as both women and people of color. It doesn't focus much on the emotional aspects of this, although it does touch on it.

What specifically stood out to me is how this story shows that math and science are not just a field for men. Women can also be brilliant. Class, race, and gender should not be dividing us and limiting our potential.

I think I would have enjoyed this more if I'd have read it. The issue I face with many audiobooks that focus on different people is that I can't always keep up with which person I'm supposed to be focused on. Ultimately I do not recommend the audio version of this story.

If it was longer and there was more focus on each of the women I think it wouldn't have felt as dry as it did. I can see people with little or no knowledge on the subject would have found this book as difficult to read. Still, I found the story to be fascinating. I will eventually watch the movie and see how the book compares.